Flanger



(No Model.)

T. W. MAGPAR'LANE. FLANGBR. No. 517,704.

Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

IN YEN T05 I A TTOHNE 78.

ms NATIONAL uTHoaRAPnme' ccMPAm'.

WASHINGTON, u. c.

Nrrni STATES ATENT nron.

THOMAS w. MAOFARLANE, OF ELLENSBURG, WASHINGTON.

FLANGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letterslatent No. 517,704, dated April 3,1894.

' Application filed July 3, 1893. Serial No. 479,485- (No model.)

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. MACFAR- LANE, of Ellens'burg, in the county of Kittitass and State of Washington,have inventeda new and Improved Flanger, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip-' tion.

The invention relates to devices for removing snow and ice from the rails of railroad tracks, and the object of the invention is to provide a new and improved flanger, which is t details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement with parts broken out, Fig. 2'is a plan view of the same with parts broken out. Fig.

3 is a cross section of the same on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a sectional plan View of the danger proper on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

The improved danger is mounted directly on the truck Aof the1ocomotive,car or other vehicle traveling over the rails to be freed from the snow and ice left by the snow plow.

On the truck A are secured the hangers B in which is journaled a transversely-extending shaft 0' provided on each end with a flanged collar D secured by a set screw or other means to the shaft.

On the flange of each collar D is riveted or otherwise secured the danger E proper made U-shaped in cross section and having one end engaging the top of the rail, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3. The middle portion of each flanger is made a center supportof thewhole, with its upper rearward portion extending outwardly so as to prevent the loosened snow or ice from passing inside of the track.

On the rear end of each flanger E is secured or formed an outwardly-bent apron F for guiding the snow a suitable distance from-the rail, as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 3 and 4:, the said cutter removing or loosening the snow or ice on the inside of the rail and delivering thepsame to the flanger to be carried outside of the rail with the snow or ice taken off the top of the rail by the said Hanger.

The front end of each fianger E carries a U-shaped upwardly extending band H and the two bands are connected with each other bya bar 1 connected with clevises I one for each band H, the said clevises being attached by chains 1' to the cross bar A which, with the cross bar A, forms the support for the hangers B of the shaft 0. 7

On the shaft 0 at or near the middle of the same is secured a forwardly-extending armJ pivotally-connected with the piston rod K of an air or steam cylinder L secured on the truck frame A and connected with asuitable steam or air supply, so that a pressure may be exerted on the piston in the cylinder to move the piston rodjKdownward to cause a downward swinging of the arm J and turning of the shaft 0, to move the front end of the flangers E in contact with the top of therail.

On the upper end of the piston rod K is coiled a spring N, pressing with one end on a washer K secured to the said piston rod K, the other end of the spring resting on the support for the piston or on the piston itself. Now, when the pressure on the piston in the cylinder L is diminished, the spring N will clevises I. It will be seen that by this construction the snow and ice are readily loosened and removed from the top and sides of the rails, and carried off to the sides of the railroad track by the aprons F which are extensions of the flangers.

The cutters G are bolted or riveted to the under side of the dangers E so that in case of negligence on the part of the operator, the said ice cutters are broken off on coming in contact with the projections in the railroad .bed, such as railroad frogs, &c., and to prejected from the shaft and connected with the said rod, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A fianger comprising hangers directly attached to the truck frame, a shaftjournaled in the said hangers, flangers attached to the end of the said shaft and adapted to engage the railroad rails, a cylinder having its piston rod connected with an arm on the said shaft, to impart a rocking motion to the said shaft and thereby a swinging motion to the said flangers, a spring for returning the said pis ton rod to its normal position when the pressure in the cylinder decreases, and an apron extending from the rear end of each of the said fiangers and arranged at angles thereto, substantially as shown and described.

3. A flanger comprising hangers directly end of the said shaft and adapted to engage attached to the truck frame, ashaft journaled in the said hangers, flangers attached to the 3 5 end of the said shaft and adapted to engage the railroad rails, a cylinder having its piston rod connected with an arm on the said shaft, to impart a rocking motion to the said shaft and thereby a swinging motion to the said flangers, a spring for returning the said piston rod to its normal position when the pressure in the cylinder decreases, and a scraper bolted to the free end of each flanger to engage the inside of the rails, substantially as shown and described.

4. A flanger comprising hangers directly attached to the truck frame, a shaft journaled in the said hangers, flangers attached to the the railroad rails, a cylinder having its piston rod connected with an arm on the said shaft, to impart a rocking motion to the said shaft and thereby a swinging motion to the said dangers, a spring for returning the said piston rod to its normal position when the pressure in the cylinder decreases, an apron extending from the rear end of each of the said dangers and arranged at angles thereto, and means, substantially as described, for limiting the downward swinging motion of the dangers, as set forth.

THOMAS W. MAGFARLANE. \Vitnesses:

S. M. GRAFF, A. N. TOBIE. 

